Blades of Glory: Lee Zierten Artisan Knives

Here at Chow Bella, we understand how important it is to give (and receive) the perfect foodie gift. So this season, we're helping out by offering 21 food- and drink-focused gift suggestions, one each work day until Christmas, from a local business or provider. You get scads of rock-star ideas, the dollars stay in the Valley, and we get to go shopping -- win, win, win!

17: Blades of Glory: Lee Zierten Artisan Knives

Holiday gift ideas for your favorite cook just not cutting it? How about something truly unique: custom cutlery from a Valley craftsman.

Phoenician Lee Zierten, 68, has been crafting cutlery since he bought a knife-making kit from a magazine in 2004. Today Zierten, a cook himself, has made hundreds of custom knives, each a testament to balance, weight, grip, and cutting angle. And since they range in price and style, there's a blade or two for everyone.

Read on for details.

Practical Art is the only shop in the Valley that sells Lee Zierten knives, which range in price from approximately $60 to $125 each, and are available in styles such as steak, paring, filet, sandwich, chopping and santoku. Zierten also gives a lifetime warranty on his knives, but says the lifetime is his, not the customer's.

And for those who want to take this sharp-looking gift up another notch, all of Zierten's knives can be made to order.